The achenes are very characteristic when fully mature, but are brown and lack the transverse white wrinkles when young. The dark achene visible through the translucent sides of the yellowish-tinted (but otherwise colorless) scales should not be confused with the colored scales of related species. The deep golden look to the spikelets of this species, once learned, make it readily recognizable in the field.

Though always regarded as native, it was not collected in Michigan until 1910 by O. A. Farwell on Grosse Isle (Wayne Co.). It has evidently been both increasing in abundance and spreading northwards, with most records being relatively recent.